High school students’ choices for out-of-school English learning in Mainland China : a case study in Chengdu /

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Student Theses

2025

Shi, Yaqing

Hong Kong : The Education University of Hong Kong

Thesis

Private tutoring has historically served as a crucial out-of-school learning resource for families seeking educational advantages, particularly in Confucian-heritage regions such as Mainland China. In July 2021, the Chinese government implemented the Double Reduction policy (DRP) to radically restrict excessive private tutoring activities, aiming to alleviate students’ academic pressure and address the persistent issue of educational inequality. As a core subject in the Chinese educational system, English significantly determines one’s educational trajectory, making English private tutoring (EPT) highly sought after. The DRP has severely disrupted EPT, potentially driving students toward other forms of out-of-school English learning resources. Drawing on Rational Choice Theory (RCT), which is increasingly utilized to explain educational inequality at educational transition points, this study endeavors to address a critical research gap by examining students’ out-of-school English learning choices under the DRP and evaluating the policy’s effectiveness in mitigating educational inequality. Employing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the study collected quantitative data from 1,287 Grade-12 students via questionnaires and qualitative data from 36 students through semi-structured interviews. Findings indicate that while the DRP has reduced tangible inequalities in access to private tutoring in the marketplace, unobservable factors rooted in students’ social origins continue to perpetuate intangible educational disparities, undermining the policy’s intended outcomes. This study offers practical insights for policymakers and advances theoretical understanding of educational inequality, highlighting the constraints of structural reforms in resolving entrenched inequities

LG51.H43 Dr 2025eb Shiy

https://educoll.lib.eduhk.hk/records/y49pwzof